“My dear father, I am very respectfully and humbly inquiring. What is this arrangement? Why you are busy in making some sacrificial ceremony, what is the reason, and what is the result? For whose benefit is it and by what means will it be accomplished?” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.24.3)

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कथ्यतां मे पित: कोऽयं सम्भ्रमो व उपागत:
किं फलं कस्य वोद्देश: केन वा साध्यते मख:

kathyatāṁ me pitaḥ ko ’yaṁ
sambhramo va upāgataḥ
kiṁ phalaṁ kasya voddeśaḥ
kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ

“I am fascinated by one particular aspect of the very first Govardhana Puja. The one that started it all. The tradition began from there. In that very spot, in that land now wisely understood as sacred, in Gokula-Vrindavana. The people started something new; almost like they were making up a tradition on a whim. This practice is otherwise frowned upon. The ones who cannot keep shut the three gates leading to a hellish condition are known to make up their own version of dharma, for creating rules and regulations which are actually aimed at satisfying their own personal desires, kama.

य: शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारत:
न स सिद्धिमवाप्‍नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya
vartate kāma-kārataḥ
na sa siddhim avāpnoti
na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

“But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 16.23)

“There was innocence in this case. The people went against tradition because Shri Krishna suggested it. The son of Nanda Maharaja had that appeal. The child to the respected mother Yashoda was known for getting His way. Even when He was due for punishment, such as after stealing butter from the homes of the neighbors, the people lodging the complaints just couldn’t find it within themselves to follow through. It is like they knew the experience was blissful the entire time, though the act of stealing is otherwise unwelcome.

“The part I am fascinated about is that the one cause for concern, the highest risk-factor, if you will, later manifested entirely. The worst fears were realized, materialized in a way no one would believe. The one problem with skipping the worship of Indra was the very wrath of Indra. It is like the cable company shutting off your service after you fail to pay the monthly bill. It is like the repo man visiting your home and taking back the automobile after you failed to uphold your end of the installment loan agreement.

“Indra retaliated with devastating rainfall. This was set to wash away everyone and their innocent animals. We are talking simple village people here. There was no malice in their decision. They were simply following Krishna in choosing to worship Govardhana Hill.

“Why did the people not blame Krishna? It was His idea. I get blamed for things all the time. If I want to take a detour on our way to a particular destination. If we later get stuck in traffic, everyone is on top of me for the decision I made. For the very fear of the stinging rebuke, of the potential for harsh words thrown in my direction, when I am worthy of that treatment, is enough to keep me from taking any chances. I play it safe as much as I can.

“The first Govardhana Puja was the opposite of playing it safe. It was taking a risk that manifested in actual flooding. Why did the people stay loyal to Krishna? Why were they not upset with Him?”

If there is a fire in the home, is there any time to blame the person responsible? If a colleague left their frozen pizza heating in the microwave oven for too long, is that mistake on the forefront of the mind in the immediate aftermath? Or do the potential victims reach for safety, as quickly as they possibly can?

This was the case in the aftermath of the first Govardhana Puja. There was total and complete desperation. There was nothing left to be done. There was no mitigation to think of because the emergency was at hand. We might regret so many decisions when something unfavorable takes place, but the first priority is to always find a way out of the situation.

The people who initially trusted Krishna in the recommendation to worship Govardhana trusted Him again. They asked for His assistance. They surrendered at His lotus feet. There was no other way, and since Krishna is always Bhagavan, even as a small child He was able to deliver the people who approached Him.

“Unable to find any other source of deliverance, they all approached Govinda to take shelter at His lotus feet. The cows especially, being much aggrieved from the heavy rain, bowed down their heads, and taking their calves underneath their bodies, they approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead to take shelter of His lotus feet. At that time all the inhabitants of Vrindavana began to pray to Lord Krishna. ‘Dear Krishna,’ they prayed, ‘You are all-powerful, and You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Now please protect us who have been much harassed by angry Indra.’” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 25)

Krishna had caused the stir by working His magic through words. He persuaded the father, Nanda Maharaja, to worship Govardhana Hill. This was a replacement to the Indra-yajna that the community was otherwise preparing for. There was intent to the suggestion. The primary justification was that the phalam, the fruit, received through worshiping Indra could also be satisfied in worshiping Govardhana. There was nothing to lose in the proposition. The argument from Krishna was convincing in this way.

After the retaliation from Indra, the same Krishna protected the people. His initial decision highlighted the flaw in relying totally on the devas. There was no customer loyalty benefit or grace extended through years of allegiance. A single turn in a different direction triggered anger and wrath from the heavens. Krishna protected the people from this wrath by lifting up Govardhana Hill and using it as an umbrella.

This means that there was no cause for blame. Rather, the trust extended was even more fortified. It was always the right decision to go along with Krishna, and for this reason we can further appreciate the wonderful annual tradition that is worship of Govardhana, started by those wonderful residents of Vrindavana many thousands of years ago.

In Closing:

The worst fears true became,
Why not on Krishna the blame?

Who suggested that way to proceed,
With convincing case indeed.

Defect in worship of devas true,
Source of retaliation who.

Since surrendered to child through,
The one protecting everyone who.

Categories: kim phalam, questions

Tags: dailyprompt, govardhana, poem, poems, poetry, vedas